As you walk on soft sand under shady palms, you feel excited, delighted and thrilled. And when you start exploring a rocky, windswept beach, or else, when you take refuge in a secluded island or in a sun-bleached coastline, amid a crowded stretch of sand, you receive a blissful delight! Here, we make an effort to look into the unique perspectives of these offbeat beaches that are sure to leave you stunned with its beauty.

Beaches, worldwide, are known for their serene surroundings, endless waters, noisy winds, rustic ambience and lush greenery around! They leave you spoilt for choice offering plenty of activities, right from strolling to swimming, to playing in the sand. And when the experience of walking on offbeat beaches arrives, it becomes all the more interesting to explore their segregated and stand-alone identity. The experience of exploring these beaches becomes a lifetime memoir as the memories refuse to fade away throughout life.

So let’s peep into the world of wonders of these beaches in India and see how they continue attracting tourists with their unique characteristics:

DHANUSHKODI, TAMIL NADU

Situated in a ghost town, Dhanushkodi Beach narrates the tale of a fateful night when the gushing waves wrapped all its assets and took everything along. Hence, within fraction of a second, this once bubbling town was converted into a deserted island. At present, this beach stands desolate, isolated from all, recalling memories of its golden past when it used to be a bustling fishing hamlet! There was a jetty from where continuous ferry services for passengers and goods, were available between Dhanushkodi and Talaimannar of Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Also there were many shops, schools, post offices, customs and port offices and a railway station that made this town alive.

As you start walking a little further, you can see ruins of railway tracks, offices, hospitals and church. These ruins bespeak volumes of the tales of destruction caused by the cyclone of 1964, that ravaged this tiny hamlet, turning it into a ghost town.

This beach can be accessed by four-wheeled drive vans that offer a bumpy safari of around 10 km from Mukundarayar Chathiram (located in Rameswaram/Pamban Dweep on NH-49). A surreal landscape existing here with ruined railway tracks, weather-worn boats and marshes, is sure to give you goosebumps. Also, the confluence of the wild waters of the Indian Ocean and the calmer waters of the Bay of Bengal at Land’s End makes for a mesmerising view.

According to legends, Lord Rama built the all-famous Rama Setu (Adam’s Bridge) to Lanka, 30-km from this point. On your way back, vans stop at the small temple which enshrines a porous rock (probably volcanic pumice) and this is believed to be a relic from Rama’s floating bridge.

MUZHAPPILANGAD BEACH, KERALA

Walking on a beach is a lovely experience, however, driving on the beach is a rather unusual experience that is beyond description. Imagine driving along the coastline on a wide spread of sand, along the roaring sea, skirting around the rippling waves. And this delight could be experienced at Muzhappilangad Beach which is one among the most beautiful beaches in India. It exists in crescent shape and is protected by giant black rocks that help it in keeping its surf gentle.

This beach is being crowned as one among the top six drive-in beaches of the world, and it enjoys the credit of being the only Asian beach competing with world-famous beaches such as Corolla, North Carolina and Padre Island (Texas) beaches in the US, Fraser Coast beach in Australia, Natal to Fortaleza stretch in Brazil and Sólheimasandur beach in Iceland.

It is situated in Kannur on Malabar Coast and is touted as the longest drivein beach of India. There are huge rocks dotting its shoreline, offering protection against currents. Also, the shallow waters of this beach further make it even more perfect for swimming. It extends over a five-kilometre stretch where you can drive while watching golden sunset. It’s a delight to see fishing boats coming and going, from the shores. Also you can indulge in adventure sports like paragliding, parasailing and micro-light flights here. The delicacies to be savoured include dishes of the traditional Moplah cuisine such as pathiris (meat crepes), arikadukka (mussels stuffed with rice), unnakaya (banana fritters with coconut filling) and the signature Thalassery Biryani will definitely leave you craving for more.

AMARILLO BEACH, GOA

Now let’s visit a rather different kind of beach, one that is rocky as well as sandy! This is none other than the Amarillo Beach, situated 50 km from Panaji. It’s a pristine and secluded beach in North Goa which can be accessed while passing through the grove of cashew trees. Also, you can locate a fresh water lagoon here which extends along the bottom of the valley into a thick jungle. This lake is fed by boiling hot springs and comes lined with sulphurous mud. And you can see people applying this mud all over on their body, which it is believed, can do wonders to their skin. The Amarillo Beach extends over 16 km and consists of two beaches. The first one, which is more popular, is the main beach (Harmal beach). It is the northernmost beach in Goa. The second beach is the more picturesque one as it lies beyond the rocky circlet. It can only be reached on foot and is bordered by steep cliffs on both sides. The main beach is a long stretch of curving sand and is good for swimming. It is a place perfect for people in search of peace and tranquility.

Further, these beaches come along with cliffs which are popular for paragliding and dolphin watching boat trips. Those interested in shopping will be delighted thanks to the few shops here that sell clothes, jewellery, trinkets and handicrafts from across the state and India.

Foodies can get the taste of excitement owing to the presence of a few cafes situated along the main beach and on the mainland to the north as they serve tasty delicacies from a number of cuisines such as Italian, Goan and more.

AUROVILLE BEACH, PUDUCHERRY

Shallow waters and small waves! Doesn’t this sound appealing? It definitely does! And yes, this is yet another offbeat beach which gives you a chance to swim too!

It’s the Auroville Beach, situated 12 km from Puducherry town. This beach gives you multiple options. Here, you can swim in the waters, play on its shores or else can take a long stroll, depending on your mood. Clean sands and cool waters on this beach seem like a warm invitation to those standing on its shores. Even the surfers, including amateurs and professionals, use this beach to hone their skills. It comes with several entry and exit points. The beaches here come have houses, guest houses and shacks offering multiple options for accommodation. The beach closes at 6.30 pm.

A look at solar kitchens is a delight to see here! One can also hire cycles and motorbikes to explore the beach. This expansive beach also gives you an amazing experience to gaze at stars while you lie down, silently, listening to the waves. With the cool breeze, music of the oceans and dazzling moonlight